MCGI Welcomes Nearly a Thousand Newly-baptized Souls

PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES – A total of almost 1000 newly baptized members from different parts of the Philippines were welcomed in the Members Church of God International (MCGI) last Saturday, August 8, during the congregation’s weekly thanksgiving celebration.

The baptism was held a day before thanksgiving, Friday, after a series of indoctrination sessions conducted worldwide by Bro. Eliseo Soriano, MCGI Presiding Minister, which lasted two to three months.

The newly-baptized offered their thanksgiving to God at 2 p.m. in the ADD Convention Center in Apalit, Pampanga. ADD stands for Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path), Bro. Eli Soriano’s 26 years running radio and television program.

For the newly-born babes in Christ, it was another momentous day after the day of baptism, being the first that they have ever truly thanked God and offered Him songs of praises. For them it is the start of a new life.

After the resounding, joyful noise of glorifying the Almighty God onstage, joined by 50 thousand faithful on the convention ground and hundreds of thousands more simultaneously monitoring in six continents, what was supposed to be short testimonies of how these new brethren came to know the Church and Bro. Eli turned into exciting revelations.

A brother in his 60’s, former member of the born again movement, promptly approached the program emcee to narrate his story. He said that he used to offer tithes in his former religion, because that was what they were taught to do.

Upon hearing Bro. Eli’s teachings, however, he said that he abandoned his former belief. He now knows that offering tithes is a commandment to the Israelites and not to Christians, and he even cited the verses he learned during the indoctrination series.

Another one who came forward to share her story was a young lady who exclaimed that she was a former Iglesia ni Cristo member. She recounted that through the indoctrination sessions, she learned that what was being inculcated in their minds about Bro. Eli during their worship services in Iglesia ni Cristo are all lies.

The young lady said she didn’t know that members of Ang Dating Daan were mauled and almost killed by members of her former religion, until she saw it with her own eyes through the video tape played during the indoctrination.

It can be remembered that the life-threatening incident happened in April 2006, when hundreds of INC members cornered and beat to a pulp ADD members in front of Jollibee, a fast food chain in Apalit, Pampanga.

When it was almost time for Bro. Eli to discuss the rest of the day’s topic, one of the newly-baptized, in her desire to testify of God’s deliverance, was given the chance to speak last. A sister in her early 50’s, she described how her gambling, drinking, smoking and other vices stopped when she heard Bro. Eli’s teachings.

When she learned during the indoctrination about how a Christian woman ought to dress herself up, she said she immediately bought herself modest clothes to adhere to the teachings of Christ. The doctrines changed her lifestyle, she said.

Along with the newly-baptized, brethren from abroad including Locale of Vietnam, Locale of Ireland, officers and choir members of Locale of Saipan, Women’s Club of Locale of Japan, were grouped together in giving thanks to God.

There were also the baptizers, the Baptism Committee and Staff, districts in several provinces, the Music Ministry 24/7 (participants of nonstop singing of praises to God), and the August 8, 2009 Celebrants to offer their respective thanksgiving.

Members of the Church of God believe that whenever such a celebration is being performed and dedicated to God, the host of angels in heaven celebrates with them.

A report from abroad made the Thanksgiving Day even livelier. Speaking from the United Arab Emirates through live streaming, Vice Presiding Minister Bro. Daniel Razon said that in different parts of the globe, especially in America, baptism is also nearing.

Through the efforts of Bro. Eli, with the help of God and every member of the Church, “God willing, we will again have new brethren who are non-Filipinos.” he said.

Attraction to Light: a Moth-like Behavior of the People of God

Moths are frequently seen attracted as if “enamored” to bright lights. So are Christians.

The science behind the moth’s behavior of flying toward a source of light, be it a porch light, a light bulb, or a candle, remains largely unknown. In the Philippines, moths locally known as “gamu-gamo” are frequent visitors at homes, especially at night as they fly toward a light source and circle it. Usually, the homeowner will put a plastic bag near the light to capture the seemingly mesmerized insects. The following morning, the bag will be full of the poor thing.

Like moths, Christians have a peculiar behavior of racing toward a certain direction. They are attracted to light, and like moths they flock toward its source. This behavior is most evidently seen in the Members Church of God International, a church known for its weekly “Pasalamat” or Thanksgiving. Every Saturday, some fifty to seventy thousand people from different provinces race toward the Ang Dating Daan Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in Asia, located in Apalit, Pampanga, two hours away from Manila. This huge venue is regularly filled with people, along with thousands others in different countries monitoring through the internet, who offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving to the God of Israel.

Traveling from one place to another seeking light is a behavior of the people of God as early as the time of the prophets. Where the source of light is there they go and congregate. This behavior is recorded in Zechariah 8:21.

And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.

In the Book of Psalms 119:105, the light they seek is defined as the word of God.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Light tells the people of God direction. It guides them to where they are supposed to go. The Israelites, the early people of God, traveled from one place to another seeking the Lord of hosts, the primary source of light. The LORD is introduced in the Bible as “the Father of lights.” James 1:17 says:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

In the Christian era, the source of light is the gospel of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says:

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The path that the Israelites took to seek the Lord of hosts is the same path Christians in this dispensation take to offer thanksgiving to the God of Israel. It is the same path that leads to the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. It is no coincidence that “Ang Dating Daan” (ADD) translates in English as “The Old Path” (TOP), for an old path it is. Jeremiah 6:16 says:

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

How seekers of light travel toward the source has certainly changed through the advent of modern technology. Christians from different parts of the globe can now “fly” toward the source of light via live streaming, an advanced technology which was not available thousands of years ago. From practically any place in the world the people of God have now the means to congregate and listen to the gospel, emanating from the only sensible preacher of our time, none other than Bro. Eli Soriano.

Bro. Eliseo Soriano, presiding minister of the Members Church of God International, has the reputation of being the most queried man on earth, especially when it comes to biblical matters. He travels the world frequently, not to seek the light, but to bring the word of God to where there are seekers of it. Thus in other countries the moth-like behavior is also observed among non-Filipinos. People of various colors and tongues travel toward the direction of the light. They gather in Bro. Eli’s Bible Expositions.

From various states of North and South America, to Africa, Australia, Europe and Asia, light-seekers travel from hundreds of kilometers away to where Bro. Eli Soriano is, to hear the word of God. For others who have no means to travel, technology is at their disposal. This phenomenon is reminiscent of the time of Solomon, when the queen of the south came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear his wisdom. Luke 11:31 says:

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

While the explanation behind the moth’s attraction to light remains unknown, one theory suggested is that moths employ a navigation technique that uses bright celestial bodies, particularly the Moon, to travel a straight path. Part of the theory states that when a moth run into a much closer source of light and uses it for navigation, for some reason the moth instinctively turns toward that light. It is “attracted” to it.

Although this light-compass theory is yet to be proven, seekers of the light of the gospel of Christ must also be using some kind of navigation technique that enables them to fly straight toward the source of light, the word of God, which embodies truth. John 17:17 says:

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

The light, the word of God, is truth. To find the truth, there must be a method of navigation. It is not by accident that one finds the truth, but by grace, if not a definite meeting of wills. Psalms 14:2 says:

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

As one seeks God, His truth, His light, God looks down from heaven. Speaking of “celestial navigation”, nothing is at par with having the primary source of light in heaven guiding your way toward itself, the Father of lights. Just seek Him diligently.

On a final note, like moths, seekers of truth are naturally attracted to light, especially Christians. Where the light is there they gather. You can just imagine if the one carrying the light goes to where the moths are. The following excerpt is taken from Bro. Eli Soriano’s Truth Blog.

I enjoy journeying in this world seeking for my ‘countrymen’ in the world to come… After 43 years of ‘travel’, using my feet, my jeepney, my cars, and my one and only bus, I found the fastest and the most convenient form of vehicle available to travel around the world in search for YOU.

My dream is to find friends; the lost souls; to meet the less fortunate; the hungry; the underfed; the forgotten; and all those rejected by human society: to share with them the hope that is in me; and to be a humble instrument of my Great God, to announce that there is something beautiful and wonderful in store for them who were neglected by this present world!